steps would be a significant blow to our economy. >> are the good times really ready to roll? this hour, we go behind the numbers with labor secretary hilda solis, stephanie cutter, and larry kudlow. occupy's new frontier, the outrange over wall street shifts focus to the foreclosure crisis. plus cain's plunge. his support nose dives in iowa. and the woman who alleges they had a lengthy affair responds to cain's denials. >> it wasn't a love affair. it was a sexual affair. as hard as that is for me to say and as hard as its for people to hear it, you know, it is what it is. >> good day, i'm andrea mitchell live in washington. and the unemployment rate fell to 8.6%, the lowest that we have seen since march 2009.

but republicans are pointing to another number as a sichb bgn o problems remaining on our economy. >> more than 300,000 americans left the labor force last month, that means they stopped looking for work. and i think we should all be concerned about that. >> labor secretary hilda solis is with us. thanks so much for joining us. you've got good numbers obviously, 8.6%, you've added 120,000 private sector jobs. that is all good news. not must have to keep up with population growth, yet you still have a steep climb and 315,000 americans no longer are even looking for work. so a big part of that is that americans have just dropped out, dropped out of the labor portion. they're not being counted any longer. >> part of it, too, is also that we're finding that there are a lot of people in the household survey that's also taken that are actually beginning their own businesses. they're creating hair own job and that also has a lag period.

so i would say that we have a ways to go, but we did drop. last year the unemployment rate was at 9.8. can we do better? absolutely. that's why i think the president's plan to come up with alternatives like stepgd the pay rom tax will all help put people back to work and also generate more activity at the local level so people will spend money. and that's what's the good thing in this report. people have confidence, they spent money this last month and i hope that we can continue on do that. i don't see the republicans coming up with any alternative that's going to have an immediate impact as quick as what we've seen over the course of the last 21 months where 3 million private sector jobs have been created. >> of course the timing of this report is great from your perspective and from the economy's perspective because it could psychologically give a boost to spending this weekend. we had a great black friday report, a good cyber monday reportedly. and now this could push some

spending this weekend retail. >> i hope that it does, but we know we have toeep our eye on the ball just as the president said. we're not satisfied with those people that are still looking and we have to keep them attached to the workforce. so one way of doing it is by extending the unemployment insurance. and you and i know that one dollar is expended in our commuy will generate two dollars. >> great to see you 00 a day when the news is pretty good. and in our daily fix, newt gingrich just can't stop talking, mostly about himself. >> i did no lobbying of any kind. >> i helped lead the effort to defeat communism. >>. >> i was charging $60,000 a speech. >> but it doesn't seem to matter to republican voters.

as hard as he tries to shoot himself in the foot, it doesn't seem to matter. with 12 republican voters misfair fax, sla varks they don't seem to mind when he says these things. >> right. i thought that was fast that fascinating. i read it this morning. and it's telling. we've seen this before. herman cain, people were saying wait a minute, 9-9-9 doesn't make economic sense, there are holes with it. didn't matter because he was on that rocket ship upwards. two big differences. newt beginning xwrich is more than a proven commodity. he's been at the national level before and who will be more comfortable in the limelight. the second difference is herman cain boomed in september. gingrich in the beginsing of december. so he may still be booming

during iowa if he wins eye washing i don't know if that kind of bust cycle that we've seen with michele bachmann, donald trump, rick perry, herman cain, if mute is subject to that because there will be a vote before it might even come. >> take a look at the escalation between newt gingrich and mitt romney when we've got gingrich talking about how they don't have to point to all these things. >> i don't have to point out who will be the nominee. p i'm going to be the nominee. it's hard not to look at the recent polls and think that the odds are very high i'm going to be the nominee. >> statements about polls won't win elections. this is not a matter that america needs better lobbyists or better deal maker, better insiders. i think america needs a leader. >> so they're going at each other, but now newt gingrich's latest is on child labor. >> i do this and you give me

cash. unless it's illegal. what if they became assistant janitors and their job was to mop the floor and clean the bathroom? and you paid them. >> so he's talking about children and he set up the notion that children in poor families around america don't have a work ethic and don't understand whats to show up for work and need shall kind of example. and now he's talking about jobs that these children could have if we didn't have the intrusive federal child labor laws. >> and this is the problem with newt gingrich. this is someone who is of significant political abilities, whether you like him or not, but he's also with significant political flaws. he says things like this. >> all the polling seems to show that in republican primaries at least, they like this. >> they do i think in general

they like his willing nos throw red meat. i think that's why he's done so well in debates. he pops up with the red meat rhetoric. the question is there a further deeper analysis of all the things that newt has said during this campaign as well as during high school time his time in public life. that focus group was very insightful. at the moment, they don't care. will they? i don't know. >> thank you so very much. reverend al sharpton joins us now. reverend al, your take on this. in the focus group, they were responding to newt gingrich as father, grandfather, favorite uncle. all very positive terms. yet he comes out with stuff like this. what is the response? >> first of all, i think that it is very, very in my opinion detrimental to the country to

just broadly charge that poor people don't have a work ethic when the facts speak to something entirely different. most of them work every day. and then you have the near poor. if you combine the poor and the working poor and the near poor, you have about 100 million americans. those people are not lazy or illegal. they are many of them laid off, many of them getting wages that don't really cover what they need and many of them have had their jobs outsourced. it's the worst and cheapest form of playing to political pandering for a far, far right crowd. the other thing and i'll talk about it tonight on politics nation is i think he knows better because he and i at the request of president obama did a five city tour of innercity schools. he talked to these kids. he knows these kids have a work

ethic. he knows these kids come from families whose parents sometimes work two or three jobs. so what is he talking about? if he's saying this, why didn't he say this when we were on national tour of inner cities? >> and we're in fact showing tape from back in 2009 when you went out with him, you were working with arne duncan, with the administration on this, trying to reach these kids and getting this great response. you've seen him on the road. you know -- he knows better, right? >> he never raised it then nor because he talking about they ought to be the janitors and all of this. so i think that it is playing politics. i think it is the kind politics that we don't need. it may play to a certain base, but not the kind of leadership this country needs and i think that one will have to raise the question to him is when did you have this new view. you certainly didn't have it in 2009 when you were touring

innerciinner cities and poor areases in terms of educational institutions. >> do you think he could actually win the nomination? he says he can win. mr. romney says that he can win. they're both flip-floppers. who knows. >> thank you so much, reverend al. of course watch him tonight at 6:00 eastern politics nation. monday there will be a week long series investigating restrictive voting laws. whand is tand what is the o campaign strategy? we'll talk to stephanie cutter. and join us next tuesday as we broadcast the show live from israel for the launch of on hot tv cable network. trs all energy development comes with some risk,

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the surprise of many, mitt rochl any is keeping pace with the obama campaign in battle ground states that the president won last time around. 12 key states. a look at these 12 shows them split down the middle. romney nearly doubled obama's haul in florida and mitch. stephanie cutter joins us, the new deputy campaign manager of the obama campaign. do what do you attribute how well he's done? >> he has strong base of contributors, of people who are fighting for the policies that mitt romney is espousing. additional tax breaks for the most wealthy americans,

corporations, special interests. in fact we don't even know who his donors are. that all makes for great fund raising. we prefer to do it a little differentlies y as you know. we're building a grass root across the country. so it's not a surprise that he's doing well, but we're happy where we are. >> were you happy preparing to run against mitt romney or are you now shifting gears and thinking you may end up running against newt gingrich? >> well, you they, know, as a s of politics, this is always where the race tightens in primaries because voters start to pay attention. i think the reason we see newt gingrich moving ahead in the polls is because voters know him and he's firmly grounded in extremely conservative principles. they don't know where mitt romney stands on things because he's changed many of those

fundamental positions that he took as governor and he's slip flop p flip-flopped on them as a presidential candidate. so i think that's what's showing up in the poll numbers. republicans know where newt stands. they don't know where mitt romney stands. >> some people suggest that republican voters like newt gingrich because they think he'll be toughner going after the president, that he's more combative. >> i'll leave that for republican voters. in terms of attacking the president, i'm sure that will garner in votes in the primary. in a general election, i think people are more interested in where this country will move. and that's the one thing that we're not hearing right now. >> there was a report suggesting that you've got some vulnerabilities, particularly minorities who were so much a part of the electorate map, the voting map for president obama

last time may be less inclined. and also unmarried woman. how do you see it? >> well, i disagree with that analysis. we see out there that people from all different walks of life and community, whether unmarried women or african-americans, hispanic americans, are coming out for us. that organization never left from 2008. it's only getting stronger. and there's a reason. if you look at hispanic americans, they are enthusiastic for the re-election of president obama because they're seeing the policies on the republican primary -- in the republican primaries. you saw what mitt romney said just this week. he wants to deport 11 million hispanic americans. these are people that have been here for decades.

those aren't the policies that american people are looking for. in terms of our base, we've had more than a million individual contacts across this country. we're far ahead of where we were just four years ago. so that we feel pretty good where we are. they see the country moving forward and they're looking for four more years of president obama. >> some congressional hispanic members of the hispanic caucus are very disappointed, they say that there plant been enough leadership from the white house on the immigration issue that they haven't seen legislation and they really feel that the deportations which have gone way up under this administration have shown that they can't really rely on this white house. so i'm not suggesting that thm's vote republican, but they may stay home. >> right. obviously, you know, everybody wants more progress, everybody wants to move forward as quickly and as fast as we can because they haven't seen progress for so many years before the president took office.

the president stands for comprehensive immigration reform. he believes that congress needs to move on comprehensive immigration reform. we've been working across the country to build the political will for that. unfortunately, there's a minority number of senators in the senate and a republican house of representatives who won't move forward. so we're doing things on our own. the department of homeland security is looking at a case by case to ensure that we're dep t deporting criminals and not the people that have been here for decades and are contributing to our society so that we're using our immigration resources effectively. but we would like to get comprehensive immigration reform passed. it doesn't mean there's a lack of support. that's true. and if you get out there on the ground, you see that. >> and finally, just a thought that you might have about newt gingrich suggesting that children especially children in poor communities need learn the work ethic and maybe should work

as janitors or get other jobs and that the child labor laws should be addressed or suspended. >> well, i don't know quite what to say about that. i was listening to a little bit of your interview before where reverend sharpton says gingrich knows better. i agree. there are millions of americans who are struggling with poverty, struggling to get into the middle class or stay in the middle class and as a result of the most severe economic crisis that we've seen since the depression. that economic describe sus was caused in large part because of some of the policies that gingrich and romney are espousing. so raerp talking about breaking child labor laws to get americans back to work, let's talk about things that can move us forward, bring us together, rebuild an american meant to last, where hard work pay, responsibility is rewarded. i don't think breaking child labor laws is part of that solution. >> stephanie cutter, thanks so

much. we miss you in washington, but we'll catch up with you in chicago. >> thank you. and how much longer can the cain train keep chugging along? that's next. ♪ i think i'm falling ♪ i think i'm falling ♪ i think i'm falling [ male announcer ] this is your moment. ♪ for you [ male announcer ] this is zales, the diamond store. shop our largest diamond store online anytime at zales.com. spark card from capital one. spark cash gives me the most rewards of any small business credit card. it's hard for my crew to keep up with 2% cash back on every purchase, every day. 2% cash back. that's setting the bar pretty high. thanks to spark, owning my own business has never been more rewarding. [ male announcer ] introducing spark the small business credit cards from capital one. get more by choosing unlimited double miles or 2% cash back on every purchase, every day. what's in your wallet? this guy's amazing. what's in your wallet? i've tried it. but nothing helped me beat my back pain.

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our snuggle up and win sweepstakes starts soon. enter at snuggleupandwin.com today. tempur-pedic, the most highly recommended bed in america. herman cain, heading home to atlanta to see his wife, gloria, for the first time since the allegations of infidelity surfaced at the beginning of the week. in iowa, voters have already made up their minds. early numbers from the poll sthee show that cain has fallen to 8%. down from 23% in late october. a national politico reporter joins me now. david, this has been a really tumultuous turn for herman cain even going down before this took place, but now it's really been pretty precipitous. take a look at ginger white.

she was on the last word last night and a fascinating interview. >> i honestly can't believe that, you know -- it was very hard for me to come out with this and fess up to something that i had done. i'm pretty straightforward and i have a conscience. i'm surprised that he hasn't -- that he's treating me as if i'm lying about this, that does bother me. >> this came after he told the union leader that he didn't have any proof of it, but that she was paid to say what she said, that she had gotten a lot of money, which she denied vigorously. how does he come out of this? >> weshl >> it's difficult to see how he emerges from this. you now have to believe all five

women are lying. and the bigger question here and the bigger problem herman cain has is the conversation is only based on him and these allegations and the scandal. the horse race has now shifted to the mitt romney, newt beginning griffin fig gingrich fight. herman cain is a side show. there are reports that his wife has had enough and wants him out of the race. if you take him by his word and he's going to talk to his family, that would signal that he could drop out. but it's very hard to predict what he's going to do. >> and drew klein was the new hampshire editorial page editor and eches also on last night and he describe what had cain had to say about his wife's decision. >> he said my wife would not ask me to quilt tt the campaign. but if i judge that it was in her best interests for me to quit, then i would do that. >> and this of course followed by the union leader today saying

that we hope the allegations against herman cain prove up true. whatever the outcome, we suspect his wife will have him back from the campaign trail sooner rather than later. >> and they also went on to say that he's not ready and they said we're happy that he did embrace some ideas that were outside the mainstream, but most of the press he's getting right now is not very good, but herman cain does enjoy the limelight and the attention. he's doing no short of media interviews right now. >> and only today they announced that gloria cain is the national chairperson for women for cain. which is a little bit surprise to go make that announcement today. david, thank you very much for our briefing today. >> thank you. and today's jobs report may be good news for president obama, but what about the 13 million americans who are still looking for work? and next stop for the occupy movement. foreclosed homes. nyquil (st uffy ): hey, tylenol. you know we're kinda like twins. tylenol: we are?

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topping the headlines, al qaeda leader a says his group holding 70-year-old american aid worker -- former aid worker hostage in pakistan. he was abducted by armed men in mid august. he'll be released if the u.s. stops air strikes in afghanistan and pakistan. back here in the u.s., powerful santa ana winds continue out west tearing down trees, leaving thousands without power. experts say that the rare wind storm which topped 100 miles per hour in some places is a once in a decade event. the weather is eventually supposed to be felt as far east as indiana. and the unemployment rate dropping to 8.6% will certainly be the headline from today's jobs report, but 13 million americans are still looking for work. and want to know if it an expanding economy will ever bring them back into the labor

force. larry kudlow is of course the host of the kudlow report on cnbc and joins us now. what is your read of the report? i know that 315,000 people are no longer counted, no longer look pentagon for woing for wor. lil today so he lease says some are at home starting up their own new businesses and it could partly be a good thing. i don't know what the evidence of that is. >> i don't know. that's a ricky one. mostly discouraged workers dropping out of the labor force. it's a problem 315,000. now, the unemployment rate at 8.6% is a good number, but in an odd sort of way, if you had a really powerful jobs recovery, we had modest improvement, 120,000 jobs, but if it were really powerful and you had like 250,000, 300,000 a month, you'd probably see the unemployment rate edge higher because more people would be coming into the labor force, they would be more optimistic. that's not happening. we're still losing people from the labor force.

so that put as damper on this number. >> is this a trend that you think works for them, works for the president, or could there be seasonal adjustments still? are some of these new highs retail hires because of the pre-christmas season? how do you break it down? >> it's tricky business. the president will have every right to take credit for a lower unemployment rate even though underneath that, the data is not all that strong. we'll wait and see how it comes out for christmas season. you had a pretty good start with black friday and cyber monday. on the other hand, when you look in the this report, wages and incomes aren't really doing very well. barely keeping up with the inflation rate. so i think it's a mixed bag to be perfectly honest with you. >> what about the occupy movement. do you think that's beginning to lose momentum, gain momentum somewhat is your perspective on how this affects not only politics but also just the development of the continuing frustration that people feel

with the economy? >> i get the frustration, but my vi advi advice is go back to work. it certainly would be a shot. that's better than disrupting parks around the country and so forth. i'm not a big fan because i think at the core it's a very left wing union type message, very anti-capitalism. i don't much like it. i think what the country needs is a more upbeat growth oriented vision right now. me, i'd like to see a real pro-growth tax reform. i don't like this payroll tax debate. within year temporary cut. not going to help the economy. raising taxes permanently on upper end earners pot going to help the economy. i think we immediate spending limits to pay for pro-growth tax reform. and the president has occasionally flirted with that, but he never seems to come out for it whole hog. i don't like temporary tax cuts.

i don't think the evidence shows that it works. >> and at the same time, looking at the republican field, what do you think of newt gingrich, you know him well, and in romney and this rivalry shaping up. can newt gingrich get the republican nomination? >> i know both gentlemen well. i knew newt when he was a cohort and colleague of jack kemp. at heart, newt is really a supply sider, a growth guy. and i think that vision as it comes through will really help him. i'm not picking sides here. mr. romney has given a strong critique of president obama. but i don't think romney has put together a vision of growth and optimism, how we're going to really lead the country out of these doldrums and get america back to work. i think that's the issue. the back and forth in the campaign interests me a lot less than what's the vision here. because i think ultimately optimism, growth, jobs, a positive vision with some good

policies behind it, that's what republican voters want. that's what everybody wants right now. >> and speaking of what republican voters may want and may be getting, donald trump according to the "new york times" is going to be moderating a republican debate toward the end of december. december 27th. in iowa. that will be a show. >> i know, i heard about that last night. i guess that's the christopher ruddy news max.com debate. it's fascinating. i'm a big fan of donald trump. and i'm sure he'll have a lot to say about what the other candidates are saying. maybe he should be a candidate. but he'll certainly act let's say like a semicandidate, won't he? you're not going to be able to hold him back. >> nobody's ever been able to hold him back. and in fact he's supposed to meet with newt gingrich on monday at trump tower. so more of the trump primary continuing. larry kudlow, thanks so much for being with us. of course hosts the kudlow report week nights at 7:00 on cnbc. and this breaking new,

herman cain's campaign says it will have a major announcement to make tomorrow. a major announcement sounds like more than just saying i'm staying in the race. so that of course we'll be tracking all day today. meanwhile tampa police have arrested 29 occupy proceed test tors for refusing to leave a public park. this is only the latest clash.t tors for refusing to leave a public park. this is only the latest clash. but organizers say they are shift to go a new target. next week they'll turn their attention to the powforeclosure crisis. justin elliott writes about the occupy movement. we just heard larry kudlow's take. he's not enamored of the movement. you've been doing a lot of reporting on it. what do you see and do you think they can have an impact on this really hard to solve foreclosure crisis? >> i think they can. one thing they can do is just drive it back in to the public consciousness. there's a study came out last month saying that the foreclosure crisis is probably not even half over. i think the estimated number of

houses in some stage of foreclosure is 4 million. so this is per tifertile ground action. their movement is calmed occupy our homes and they're hoping it will be in 20 city, actions will include demonstrate manage front of banks, possibly eviction defenses where they literally block sheriff's did especially pew i deputies from evicting families. >> according to some statistics, 11 million homes now under water, which is pretty extraordinary, that the delinquency rate has gone up to some three months behind in payments. 3.5% of all mortgages are now months behind. so we're seeing this is not a crisis that is at all being resolved. >> no, and usual not hearing that the point much talk about it from either party in washington or in the media. and i think we saw over the past few months that the occupy

movement really helped drive the issue of economic in-equality into the media. and i think they're hoping they'll do the same thing for the foreclosure crisis. they're calling for the banks to reduce the principal down to the current value of homes, which is probably that would also involve some sort of government intervention. again, you're not hearing much about it from politicians right now, but this could inject in to the conversation. >> and there's also a big political impact because if you look at battleground states and key states, nevada, california, arizona, florida, michigan are the high foreclosure states. the top five states at least as of last month. so this is going to be a big deal in the campaign anyway you look at it. thank you so much, justin. hussein's old palace has

been turned over to iraq's government. the complex eventually grew to a small american city in the heart of baghdad. housing as many as 46,000 people at one time. spent a lot of time there and we all knew it well. hillary clinton is now heading home after her trip to myanmar. she met for the second time with the nobel winner. kristen welker file this had this report from the road. >> reporter: secretary of state hillary clinton met here at her home, the same place where she was held as a political prisoner for nearly two decades until she was released just last year. now, the two women had dinner last night. this is the first time that they have ever met in person. secretary clinton is here to president government officials to create a more open and democratic soelt.

>> democracy is the goal. that has been the goal from the very beginning. and yet we know that it has been a long very difficult path. the united states wants to be a partner with burma. >> and she's a key ally. she's the heftd pro democracy on that spgs movement. secretary clinton heads home and leads a new international focus on myanmar. the future of this country, its reforms and its change will be a key test for the obama administration as it shifts its foreign policy focus to the asia pacific region. now back to you. and our thanks to kristen welker. up next, mitt ver is you tsus t. everyone have their new blackberry from at&t?

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the new numbers potentially impact the race especially if the economy continues to improve? plus is today herman cain's last day on the campaign trail? he's meeting with his wife today for the first time since a woman came forward saying she had an affair with him for 13 years. is cain's fate really in the hands of his wife and an update for you, herman cain says he has a big announcement for us tomorrow. plus it may be one of the strangest stories of the week. why some parents believe two of the most popular children's movies out right now are pushing an agenda. mitt romney's had his troubles breaking through with republican voters. and now his avoidance of the media is also getting some attention underscoring sterns that perhaps mitt romney is too thin skinned to face a real challenge. >> the rule is you stop grilling romney after he gives you the laugh.

that's his safe word. he uses it all the time. available on dvd. >> robert draper his article sunday is entitled building a better knit romney. well, mitt romney and i don't know if you heard the laugh because i heard you say to lawrence last night that you hadn't gotten an interview. >> no, i've interviewed him in the past, but it's his prerogative to talk to -- or pot talk to whomever he wishes, but it's kind of curious because romney is not like a rick perry or herman cain. he's well versed on all sorts of issues. and so it's not as if he's going to commit a bunch of unforced errors by talking. and the additional thing is that there's sort of will ceiling of popularity that has loomed over

him. he conditions sean't seem to cr. and you'd think that they would recognize their work is cut out for them to sort of put him out there and see a more animated version of him. >> even in a fairly friendly setting, a good strong interview on fox, but this was the romney response. >> climate change, abortion, immigration, gay rights. how can voters trust what they hear from you today is what you will believe if you win the white house? >> your list is just not accurate. one we'll have to be better informed about my views on issues. >> now, his comfort zone should include fox new. >> you would think, yeah. and yet he was kind of petulemt about that. he's addressed the flip-flop

questions. simply being an noticed won't make them go away. they've pushed back saying that president obama is a hypocrite because he's flip-flopped on issues. unfortunately this is how people regard mitt romney and for him to break through the support that he has, he'll have to address this in some manner that's stronger than he has thus par. >> you write in your sunday "new york times" magazine piece that they have this unique strategy, that they're trying to take mitt romney, the candidate, and make him a one dimensional candidate, the businessman. but it could be that the voters don't want the -- republican voters don't want the competent business guy this year, what they want is the combative newt gingrich model. >> and they still have a sense of what his core is. and i'm not sure that they do about romney. romney has said that i think people know me pretty well. they know him on a certain level, but i don't think it's

enough for them to be drawn to him. >> and peter hart in his survey, they said he was wishy-washy and they didn't feel a deck to him. >> that's exactly right. he has to give them a sense that he believes more just in america and business and gingrich has as a father of the modern conservative movement a full track record. and romney's trek record in massachusetts as governor is one of working with the democratically controlled state legislature, involved a lot of compromise and something he doesn't want to talk about. >> thank you, robert draper. >> my pleasure. p. and who had the worst week in washington? that's next. if they want "big" savings on car insurance, and who had the worst week in washington? that's next. and who had the worst week in washington? that's next. and who had the in washington? that's next. ...or big hair... i think we have our answer.

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so who had the worst week in washington. chris cillizza managing editor of post politics.com. it has to be the herminator. >> the cain train appears to

have run out of track. i know msnbc news confirmed we have a major announcement in atlanta from herman cain. >> that, by the way, chris, let me point out we're also seeing cain alive in carolina. he's still at it today. he hasn't come home yet. >> ultimately when you announce in a conference call you're reassessing your campaign, there's only one -- in my time spent writing about politics, only one outcome through and you leave the race. herman cain has been the least orthodox candidate we've seen. i think the campaign effectively is over anyway. i hate to keep using cain train metaphor, the steam has come out of the engine.

>> his week has been bad so far. when he goes home to atlanta today. >> it will get worse. >> it could get worse. chris cillizza, thanks for being with us. that does it for us for this week. not only for this week but i'll be heading to israel. join us next tuesday as we take the show on the road. we'll be live from israel on hot tv as well. my colleague tamron hall with a look at what's next on "news nation." hi. >> you reported in your hour, new york city saying donald trump will moderate the republican debate. donald trump, i just got off the phone with him. he's going to join us live at the top of the hour. he confirms, yes, he will moderate a debate with republicans on the 27th of december. and political word association and nbc news "wall street journal" pollster asked a group of gop voters what words come to mind when they think of

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use travelers free guide to better coverage to stay prepared. is your auto and home insurance keeping up with you? contact your local travelers agent, or call 800-my-coverage. right now on "news nation," subject to interpretation, the number of americans unemployed has dropped, 8.6%. the lowest since may 2010. no surprise white house and republican leadership see it very differently. what most analysts have to say it means for our country's recovery. plus if the economy is improving how does it impact the presidential race. chris matthews makes this point. >> the car is running. who needs some guy tinkering under the hood. >> is this the night herman cain drops out of the race or lives to fight on. cain has that much talked about face-to-face discussion with his wife five days after ginger white went public with her claim she and cain were lovers.

new word donald trump will moderate a republican debate this month. he will talk to us live. plus still without power, still without power after nightmarish weather. this weather could bring more to the west. ♪ >> two of the most popular children's movies out who say happy feet 2 and cars sequel have some sort of hidden agenda. i'm tamron hall, "news nation" has a lot, again with numbers, nation's unemployment fell 8.6% that is after employers added 120,000 jobs. part of the reason the unemployment rate fell is roughly 315,000 people gave up looking for work and were no longer counted as unemployed. in addition 13.3 million americans remain unemployed.